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Topic Review (Newest First)

08-26-2012 11:07 AM

Sunnyside_Oriental

Re: ICOM SSB and ADSP filter kit?

No the noise does not effect the email. It is digital and as a result you can even reduce power when getting email.

After using HF for a while, you hear past the noise and for even weak stations it will surpprise you what you can hear. Good stations come in over the top of noise. While the RF gain will reduce the noise level it will also reduce the intelligible range of the receiver so be careful with this adjustment.

I have put a lot of free downloads on my site that may help your communications and SSB use. Feel free to down load it. Get to know how the DSC works it is the most powerful source for help.

Chip-
The best way to check for local noise sources, is "divide and conquer". Start by shutting down EVERYTHING except the radio power. If the noise is still there--it isn't local. If the noise has gone away, turn on 1/2 of your breakers. left/right, top/bottom, any way you want to split it, turn on half of them. If the noise isn't there, turn those off and turn on the other half.
As you keep testing "half of what's left" you will be able to quickly break it down to "this half" creates the noise, "that half" doesn't. And for the average boat, you won't have to divide your halves more than 4-5 times before you get it down to one or two circuits.

Electrical noise can be a RFPITA to track down, but it feels so good when you finally DO nail it down. Mainly, it needs patience, and assuming nothing. A doorbell, an old transformer, a loose plug...noise is like rust, it finds the most peculiar ways to spread.

08-20-2012 06:18 PM

windward54

Re: ICOM SSB and ADSP filter kit?

The tuner being tuned up may, or may not have any effect of your receive signal. If the wave length of the interference is centered around your tuned frequency, the received signal will be perceived to be weaker. If your interference is far enough off the frequency of the radio, the signal will appear to be stronger when tuned up. So tuning sometimes helps, sometimes hurts and sometimes doesn’t have a lot of effect on what you hear out the speaker.

Sometimes it is tough to hear the interference generated on your boat. Try turning off the speaker, turning your volume to its minimum and plugging in headphones. I find a lot of the electrically generated noise is easier to hear. If you have a charger running for example, you’ll hear the 60 cycle hum very clearly.

I tuned in the other day. The bands are very noisy out here right now. If you are hearing Hawaii, you are doing ok on the receive. But the best test will come when you get your license and be able to transmit.

08-20-2012 03:38 PM

SanDiegoChip

Re: ICOM SSB and ADSP filter kit?

We gave the ICOM 802 SSB a test or two on the Pacific Seafarers net 1430 and tried it with the antenna tuner off (THRU) And then on (TUNE). It id did seem to make much difference.

We disconnected the reefer and shore power plug. We were still in the marina and I did not change anything else. Perhaps if I went through the manual and tried some different settings we could hear better. We did pick up some one from Hawaii and even further away but am not sure.

Not sure about privacy issues here but there was not much said that could be private.

We will keep trying and see how it goes.

The next day we got the ICOM 802 SSB receiving the GPS data with time and location from our chart plotter.
Thanks,
Chip

08-16-2012 12:00 PM

windward54

Re: ICOM SSB and ADSP filter kit?

Quote:

Originally Posted by SanDiegoChip

My wife Debbie has gotten the FRN number and is now applying for the ships license. We just had first grandchild born and so that put thing on hold.
Does the “noise’ affect the email?
Thanks,
Chip

I checked last night on the Pacific Seafarers Net, just to make sure everything was still the same. They do a warm up and check in session at 8 pm local (0300 UTC), and do the location and weather reports around 8:25 pm. There was also a net going right before, and I heard the net control at around 7:20 pm, a ham operator in El Paso. So you should have a good test of at least your receiver.

08-15-2012 03:33 PM

hellosailor

Re: ICOM SSB and ADSP filter kit?

"Does the “noise’ affect the email?"
As the signal to noise ratio decreases (i.e. there's more noise) there will be more errors, more retries, slower throughput. So yes, noise will slow or stop all digital traffic including email.
If you'e got a strong signal and pesky but weaker local noise, decreasing the RF gain will decrease the strength of both the signal and noise, and if you can decrease it enough to lose the noise while keeping the signal, that's great. But if it just cuts back both, and the noise is strong...it just cuts them both back without helping. You just have to experiment.

08-15-2012 03:17 PM

SanDiegoChip

Re: ICOM SSB and ADSP filter kit?

We do have a KISS SSB ground and bought the SSB 802 kit online with a Pactor modem. We have it all set up but for SailMail and the computer. We are currently setting up the SSB to GPS (chart plotter) function.

The kit said to not connect any other ground on the antenna tuner and so we did not. Also we I think we did not ground the radio either.

We did not disconnect anything. We have shore power plugged in etc. This will be our next test, un-plugging shore power and turning everything off.
Perhaps tonight we can try the “Pacific Seafarers' Net.” And hear if there is a noise reduction using the RF gain.
My wife Debbie has gotten the FRN number and is now applying for the ships license. We just had first grandchild born and so that put thing on hold.
Does the “noise’ affect the email?
Thanks,
Chip

08-13-2012 11:58 AM

hellosailor

Re: ICOM SSB and ADSP filter kit?

"We do have ferrets on all the radio cables"
ROFL. I see a Hallmark Moment there and have to thank you for it. (Yes, little things really do amuse me.)

Ferrites can only do so much, and then only if they are also matched/tuned to the frequency of the interference. I'd suggest as others have, that you look into finding the noice sources and seeing it you can attenuate them, or just shut them while using the radio. You may also find that away from the marina, the noise goes way down.

An added bonus to learning how to chase down noise, is that sooner or later you will be "out there" and hit by noise, and then you'll have a better idea of how to find it and stop it. Noise reduction accessory circuits would be the last step.

08-12-2012 08:24 AM

fairbank56

Re: ICOM SSB and ADSP filter kit?

Since this is new to you, I assume you're not too familiar with SSB communications. Because of the type of modulation and frequency range used, it is highly subject to atmospheric noise, both natural and man made. This is primarily from thunderstorms (even at great distances) as well as local man made noise sources. Your used to that nice quiet VHF-FM radio which is totally different. One very effective and little utilized (operator ignorance) method of reducing this noise yet still allow communication is to reduce the RF gain. That's what the control is there for. The default setting on this radio is maximum gain (level 9). Play around with the settings to get a feel for how it affects the noise and signal you are receiving. A setting of around 5-7 will significantly reduce noise while still allowing the intended signal through.

Eric

08-10-2012 04:11 PM

sea_hunter

One thing, the disconnect the ground wire between the radio and the tuner. They should be grounded separately to the DC negative not the ships ground or bonding. Turn your inverter and fridge off and unplug any shorepower if at the dock while using the radio. This will give you the best signal. Again take a look at the KISS SSB kit as it isolates the radio ground plane from the ship's grounding system. Good luck.

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